#Romania2019.eu/Minister-delegate Ciamba chairs the GAC meeting discussing negotiating box for Multiannual Financial Framework

Romania's Minister-delegate for European Affairs George Ciamba on Tuesday chaired the last General Affairs Council (GAC) meeting under the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council. According to a press statement released by the Foreign Ministry (MAE), a main item on the agenda was the political debate on the future Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, a priority file under the Romanian Presidency at the Council of the European Union that has been a constant item on the agenda of all General Affairs Council (GAC) meetings of the past six months. At the Luxembourg meeting, Ciamba and his counterparts discussed the future Multiannual Financial Framework under the revised Negotiating Box prepared by the Romanian EU Council Presidency as a result of the consistent efforts deployed in the first half of 2019. MAE says that Romania, as the Presidency of the EU Council, reached agreements on 10 sectoral proposals of the Multiannual Financial Framework, ensuring that the future budget is built on the European Union's Strategic Agenda, also focusing on new technologies. "Discussions at today's meeting reflected the progress made this half-year, thus being a coherent basis for the forthcoming Finnish Presidency of the EU Council to pursue these efforts with the aim of facilitating an operational agreement at the time deemed appropriate by the EU heads of state or government," Ciamba said at the end of the talks on the subject. MAE underlines that the revised version of the negotiating box prepared by the Romanian Presidency was design to reflect in a balanced and fair manner the main political aspects that will underpin the architecture of the future multiannual budget of the European Union. According to MAE, the ministers at the Luxembourg meeting commended the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council for its efforts to manage negotiations during this half-year, which led to the presentation of this negotiating box based on the elements of interest highlighted by the member states during the discussions. The heads of delegations from the net contributing member states, as well as from net beneficiary countries highlighted many positive elements in the negotiating document presented by the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council, while also referring to elements on which additional discussions are needed based on the options reflected in the document. "Today's exchange of views is a positive signal of the shared interest of all member states in advancing negotiations on this strategic file with a view to ensuring a timely and proper implementation of the future Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027." AGERPRES (RO - author: Florentina Peia, editor: Florin Marin; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)